Volume 3, Issue 10 - June 14 1998

America Online

A new message board was established on America Online this week, which
will allow critics to post messages without being violating the Terms of
Service.

"The new message board is set up in the ACLU forum and is EXEMPT FROM TOS
for language - so free speech can reign without fear of being quashed by
the FAIR GAMERs among Scientology. This message board is meant to replace
the AOL Scientology Debate board. Already I have begun posting choice
excerpts from ARS that expose the truth about Scientology and what it is
up to in the shadows.

"The full path to get there is: ACLU / Messaging / Sanctuary / Speaking
Freely"

Message-ID: 1998060920044700.QAA06771@ladder01.news.aol.com

Austria

Die Presse published an article on the conflict between Scientology and
Austrian Families Minister Martin Bortenstein.

"On Monday, they renewed their accusations against the Minister,
'Interesting details have surfaced which will provide Bartenstein with a
few more surprises,' threatened Scientology speaker Andreas Bock in a
'press' release. It is supposed to do with medications which are
distributed by the Minister's drug company. These things are certainly
'not illegal, but morally objectionable', and 'recognized under the
collective concept of drugs,' says Bock.

"Angelika Thonauer related the following to the Austria Press Agency,
'Probably he is afraid that we will look more closely into his offenses -
that is to say, the Families Minister earns some of his money with the
help of his drug company, with which he puts people on drugs.' This
statement earned Thonauer and Scientology a lawsuit by Bartenstein
charging the spread of a slanderous, discrediting, and untrue statement.
The Families Minister demanded a temporary order restraining both the
spread of this statement and the appeal of it by Scientology."

From Kurier:

"The cause of Thonauer's indignation was a magazine interview with
Bartenstein. In it, he demanded that Scientologists who want to serve in
the civil service must deny, under oath, the teachings of Hubbard, the
founder. He [Bartenstein] would like to ascertain that members [of
Scientology], as teachers or Kindergarten instructors, 'do not
indoctrinate children and youth.' Because of the monstrosity of the
accusation and the evident risk of repetition, the court will be requested
that the temporary order be enacted without appeal by the accused party."

The Sacramento Bee reported that Scientology may have abandoned attempts
to place Scientology textbooks in California schools.

"Department of Education officials have met with the series' publishers,
according to Rovina Salinas, chairwoman of the panel that reviewed the
five-volume set. The publishers brought a list of what they would change,
but that wasn't good enough, Salinas said. 'It seemed like they had done
all of the work and preparation,' she said. 'But we can't just approve it
on what they say they're going to improve.' The publishers agreed to
return in December, but canceled and have not rescheduled.
Representatives of Applied Scholastics, the church wing that licenses the
use of Hubbard's learning methods, could not be reached for comment."

The Salt Lake Tribune reported this week that a patient failed in his
appeal, in which he was assisted by Scientology.

"Rod Diderickson filed his suit against Utah State Hospital in Provo and
state mental-health agencies in 1996. Diderickson said he fell into a
coma after being heavily medicated with psychotropic drugs. He pleaded
with the staff to change his treatment, but they purportedly refused. He
then sought help from the Church of Scientology, which assisted him in
bringing the legal challenge on behalf of himself and 'all others
similarly situated.' U.S. District Chief Judge David Sam dismissed the
case last year.

"Diderickson then asked the Denver-based 10th Circuit Court of Appeals to
review whether the hospital should have appointed a guardian to exercise
'substituted judgment on a patient's behalf before administering drugs.
But the three-judge panel refused in a decision handed down Thursday."

Message-ID: rnewman-ya02408000R0806980759000001@enews.newsguy.com

Frankfurt Rally

Details of Scientology's planned rally this summer in Frankfurt, Germany
were posted to a.r.s this week.

"To build momentum to the big event and at the same time create mountains
of publicity and goodwill, a 6 week journey on foot across Europe will
take place. People of different faiths, beliefs and race will bring the
message of religious freedom across the European continent all the way to
Frankfurt, Germany. Throughout the journey, a 'Torch of Freedom' will be
carried and passed from country to country, runner to runner, religion to
religion. The starting point for the European Journey will be Saint Hill.

"Thousands of Scientologists will welcome the runners and the rest of the
team as they reach their final destination, led by International crusader
and IAS medal Winner, Andrik Shapers. The torch will ceremoniously be
handed over to a German religious dignitary at which point the 'Rally for
Truth' will take place in the heart of Frankfurt. This will consist of an
all denominational demand for religious freedom and human rights and to
make it known what is really happening in Germany. The Open Letter to the
German Government which will have been signed by over a hundred religious
and human rights leaders and allied clergy and scholars from across Europe
will be officially presented. Well known leaders, celebrities and
entertainers from around the world will take the stage watched by
thousands of people of different faith, race and creed.

"As the rally comes to a close and German officials will undoubtedly be
breathing a sigh of relief, the assembled Scientologists from around the
globe will launch into action! Cavalcades of buses, cars and vans will
leave on routes heading north, south, east and west across the country,
stopping in villages, towns and cities along the way and delivering person
to person a specially produced Freedom Broadsheet. A massive total of 5
million messages of truth will be distributed to people all over Germany!"

Message-ID: 3580627f.96727336@news.wwa.com

Germany

News this week from the controversy in Germany, from Die Welt:

"The Berlin Office of Constitutional Protection has apparently tried, in
vain, to recruit a member of the Scientology sect as an informant. The 25
year old student revealed his secret service contact last weekend,
Scientology Central stated yesterday in Munich. The Office of
Constitutional Protection had mostly been interested in getting
information about the leading Berlin policeman, Otto D., from the student.
The 53 year old Police director has been relieved of duties from his post
as Chief of the Central Location since the end of March, after an
anonymous letter writer had accused him of being a Scientologist.

"Scientology now claims that a Constitutional Protection agent, on April
16, approached the 25 year old student, a member of the staff of the sect
office on 51 Sponholz street, in the train station. There is said to have
been ten more subsequent meetings, in which the man was offered money for
information on Scientology. On May 15 - weeks after the official witness -
he said he was offered 5,000 marks for information about Otto D. The
Office of Constitutional Protection did not wish to comment upon the even
yesterday. 'As a matter of course we do not talk about the use of the
secret service,' said official representative Eberhard Kruschke."

Sueddeutsche Zeitung published an article on what life in Scientology is
like for young members.

"It has been nine months since Tanya fled Saint Hill with the help of the
British police. The Sea Org in Saint Hill, officially an elite
organization of Scientology in Sussex, England, is what Scientology
parents dream of for their children. Tanya was 16 years old when she
stopped going to school in Stuttgart and went to Saint Hill - voluntarily.
'I thought that the people there would be like saints,' she said.

"What awaited Tanya was eight to ten hours work per day, followed by five
hours study of the Hubbardist writings. She seldom got to bed before
midnight. About 300 Scientologists live in Saint Hill, including,
according to Scientology's own statement, 77 children and teenagers.
'There were more and more children,' said Tanya. Apparently no work was
too rigorous for children, some of whom were 14 years old. She received
the promised amount of money for her work once or twice, other times she
received nothing, 'or only three to six pounds and as good as never got a
day off. Because, in order to have a day off, you had to have somebody to
replace you. And there simply wasn't anybody.' She was not permitted to
leave her post, not even when she had a fever. One time she was beat up by
another Scientologist. 'They didn't want to let me go to the doctor, until
I told them I would not lift another finger at work.' The doctor diagnosed
a brain concussion and prescribed at least three days rest, 'but I was not
permitted to lie down. I was on post.' Sometimes she was not relieved to
go eat or to use the bathroom. 'If I went anyway, there was trouble. They
took it out on you. You were yelled at and humiliated. There is a rigid
hierarchy at Saint Hill.'"

"The mind is undoubtedly a memory bank but has two very distinct parts.
One which consciously perceives is analyses, called the analytical mind,
and the second part of the mind is the reactive mind. Analytical mind is
the portion of the mind which thinks, observes, remembers it and resolves
problems. The only thing which the analytical mind does not record is a
painful emotion and the physical pain. In moments of intensive pain, the
action of the analytical mind is suspended, while reactive mind takes
over. The theory, profounded by the author of the international bestseller
and expert on the subject Understanding the mind, L. Ron Hubbard, has
created a new understanding in the subject of mind-body-machine and has
opened a new chapter in the field of scientific medicine.

"According to Hubbard, when a person is unconscious the reactive mind
exactly records the perceptions of that incident, including what happens
or is set around the person. It also records all pain and stores this
mental image picture in its own banks, unavailable to the individual's
conscious recall not under his direct control. Though it may appear that a
person knocked out in an incident is apparently unconscious and unaware of
happenings around him, his reactive mind is actually industriously
recording suffering for future use."

Scientology began the process of collecting its $75,000 judgment against
Keith Henson this week. Among the items they plan to seize:

"Bank accounts and contents of any safe deposit boxes in the name of H.
Keith Henson. All shares of stock, or any evidence thereof. Shares of
stock, or any evidence thereof, owned by or jointly by, or in the name of
H. Keith Henson, in Xanadu Operating Company. Patents, or any evidence
thereof, owned by or jointly by, or in the name of Keith Henson. 1986
Oldsmobile station wagon, license plate 2ZZ5262. All computer, printers,
monitors, modems, and all other peripherals and related equipment, and all
software programs and disks owned by or jointly by, or in the name of H.
Keith Henson. Any personal property of H. Keith Henson, or jointly owned
by H. Keith Henson."

Scientology also submitted a list of documents for Keith to produce.

"Your federal and state income tax returns for 1996 and 1997. Any
financial statements that you have prepared or had prepared for you during
the last two years. Any applications you made for any mortgages or deeds
of trust on your house during the last two years. Any mortgages or deeds
of trust on your house. Documents concerning any real estate owned by you
other than your house. Any pre-nuptial or post-nuptial agreement entered
into with your wife. All contracts by which you are obligated to perform
work and which entitle you to payment for such work. Certificates
evidencing ownership in any patents or other intellectual properties owned
by you or your wife. Any will that you or your spouse has executed."

"RTC got $796 dollars out of my account while I was over in Arizona taking
care of a family emergency. I thought there was next to no money in it,
but some checks (which will now bounce) did not clear for two weeks."

Keith announced that Graham Berry has filed to vacate the verdict on his
behalf.

"Defendant H. Keith Henson intends to and will move the Court to vacate
the verdict and order a new trial, at an hour and date to be set by the
Court, in connection with the hearing of this and related motions and
applications. The Motion will be made upon each and all of the following
grounds which materially affected the substantial rights of the moving
party Defendant and prevented a fair trial as enumerated in Federal Rule
of Civil Procedure Rule 59(a). That the verdict is against the weight of
the evidence; That the verdict is excessive; There were errors in
excluding evidence; Conduct by Plaintiff's counsel improperly influenced
the deliberative process.

"On June 11, 1998, the jury in this case rendered a verdict that, in
effect, found that copyrights could be used to conceal criminal conduct.
Such a finding was clearly contrary to public policy and the purpose of
the copyright legislation -- so much so that the jury's finding has
generated significant internet debate and national media interest. The
jury's finding is contrary to each of those things and certainly contrary
to what the framers of the Constitution must have had in mind when they
provided for the protection of copyrights. On public policy grounds alone,
this motion for a new trial should be granted."

The Edmonton Journal reports that Scientology has launched an attack on
Stephen Kent, a professor at the University of Alberta and a critic of
Scientology.

"Sociology professor Stephen Kent was the subject of a scathing article in
a 16-page Church of Scientology supplement entitled Freedom that was
distributed with the Globe and Mail newspaper Friday. In the two-page
article, Kent is compared to well-known neo-Nazi hatemongerer Ernst Zundel
and is referred to 'as the academic point man for the voices of hate
against new religions.' The article also questions the validity of Kent's
academic research and suggests he should be disqualified from receiving
any more government research grants.

"The attack appears to be related to Kent's work as an expert witness for
a German parliamentary committee. Kent traveled to Germany three times
last summer to speak to German legislators and mainstream church groups
about Scientology practices, including forced labour and a form of
brainwashing. 'Scientology has policies, which are public and well known,
to undertake character assassination against their perceived enemies and
this article is simply a demonstration of that Scientology policy,' said
Kent, adding that he was never interviewed for the article, and that it
doesn't quote from any of his published work. 'They can't quote anything
from my work that would suggest I propagate hate against new religious
groups because I never have."

Message-ID: uA$C9uA9Iyg1EwIi@lutefisk.demon.co.uk

Lisa McPherson

The St. Petersburg Times published an article on the status of the
criminal case against Scientologists for the death of Lisa McPherson in
1995

"Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney Bernie McCabe said last week he and his
staff continue to investigate the case, but he could not say how close
they are to finishing. McCabe said his office is taking 'longer than
normal' to decide whether to prosecute, but added the McPherson case is
'unique.' He declined to elaborate, saying, 'I don't like to characterize
things.'

"The case centers on two difficult questions: What caused McPherson's
blood clot? And were church staffers criminally negligent in caring for
her? The church says it has hired a team of high-powered medical experts
who will testify the clot occurred suddenly and was not the result of any
care she received at the Fort Harrison. The medical examiner's autopsy
report suggests otherwise, concluding McPherson died of 'bed rest and
severe dehydration.'

"Prosecutors also are interviewing expert witnesses, McCabe said. He also
would not discuss the potential criminal charges in the case, but said the
statute of limitations expires after three years for the kind of charge or
charges being contemplated. That means McCabe has until Dec. 5 to decide
whether to prosecute. 'We'll have it done before the statute of
limitations runs,' said McCabe, who insists the case is a high priority
with his office. 'There's no question I'd like to get it done,' he said.
'I'd like to have this behind us.'

"'The good news is (McCabe) does have his best prosecutor on it,' said Ken
Dandar, a Tampa lawyer representing McPherson's family in a wrongful death
lawsuit against the church. Dandar was referring to Executive Assistant
State Attorney Doug Crow. As McCabe's top assistant, Crow has prosecuted
some of the most notorious criminals in Pinellas County, including triple
murderer Oba Chandler and serial killer James Randall. 'It is a criminal
case that borders on homicide, and they have to be very careful about what
they're doing,' Dandar said of the McPherson case. 'I understand why
they're being so meticulous, but it has been very frustrating for the
family.' "

A summary of picket activity at Scientology locations this week. From
"Zinjifar" in Los Angeles:

"Walking around the back of the Cedars complex we entered L Ron Hubbard
Way from the south. There were quite a few Sea Org in evidence, who seemed
fairly surprised to see us, but no security was immediately in evidence
and there was no hostility (that I noticed). We made our first pass up in
front of ASHO and got a picture of Jour in front of the building.

"By the time we reached Sunset in front of the Dianetics Building we had
picked up a small somewhat elderly lady who began calling from behind and
when she'd caught up with us asked the standard question 'What's this all
about?' She said she'd like to talk to us, and we agreed, but said we also
had to keep walking, which was not what she wanted. We did discuss it a
bit, but eventually began our Sunset streetfront pass with her walking
along.

"Jour was primarily picketing against medical ethical violations and
especially the Introspection Rundown and Purif, while I was there
primarily there in protest of secrecy, legal and financial ethical
violations. My sign was one side 'Scientology: 100% Standard UFO Cult' and
the other Scientologists Pay $360,000 Tax Free to Harass Critics in a two
part laser print."

From "Wynot" in Atlanta:

"Mad_Cow and I arrived at the cult's building a few minutes after 11:00.
Cow had his usual multiboard sign, and I carried a hand held that read
'Remember Wayne Whitney' on one side, and 'WWW.XENU.NET' on the other.
There was some foot traffic, and we continued to hand out flyers and talk
to people about the cult. Several folks went out of there way to talk to
us, telling us they had seen the '60 Minutes' program about CAN. Mad_Cow
had a couple new signs - my favorite was 'No Science in Scientology'.
Another good one was 'Scientology Harasses Critics'.

"By now it was about 12:40. Traffic through the cult's doors had expanded!
Three guys coming out for smokes - and just barely glancing at us. They
seemed to only stay out a puff or two's worth. So we never got handled;
for the first time here in Atlanta, the cult pursued a policy of total
non-confront. "

From Ted Mayett in Las Vegas:

"I arrived at the big org 1:50pm, vehicles 14. My plan was to do 30
minutes at each Temple. 2:20, just as I'm ready to leave the big org I
spot a Police car waiting for the light to change. It was a single
officer, female. As she is getting out of the car I hear her radio saying,
'...you want a back-up unit?'. She turns her head to respond but i hear
her answer, 'no, it is not needed.' The Officer asked what i was doing, I
said, 'picketing', and waited. She said she had a complaint that I was
creating a nuisance. I said, 'so what else is new? they complain to police
all over the country when they get picketed.'

"She mentioned First-Amendmant Rights, Free Speech, things like that. She
said she does not see where I am doing anything wrong. I asked for the
name of the person who called in the complaint, she ignored the question.
We spoke for a while then she went into the shop to talk to them. She was
inside less than 5 minutes. When she came out I again asked for the name
of the person who called in the complaint. The Officer just smiled, and I
smiled, I was not getting that name. She got in the car, did some
paperwork and drove off waving good-bye."

"Being the plaintiff, RTC was first to be subjected to pressure from the
court to settle. I don't know what they were told, but they looked less
than happy when they left. The point of the court was that both parties
had something to lose by insisting on a ruling, that both parties could
gain something by settling and that the main characteristic of a
settlement is that it leaves both parties dissatisfied, albeit less
dissatisfied than what they risk to be if the case comes to a ruling. I
put forward the same proposal I had given McShane the previous day: RTC
admits that the OTs and NOTS are open to fair use and I admit copyright
infringement, pay damages and treat the OTs and NOTS with the same amount
of respect (in the copyright sense) that I treat any other text with. I
was confronted with RTC's proposal: that I admit infringement and they let
me off damages and legal costs.

"I explained that (1) I didn't publish the disputed texts in order to
avoid paying damages because if that had been my goal, I would have
abstained from publishing them in the first place and (2) given the fact
that I am basically broke, I won't be paying any damages or legal costs
anyway, so there's nothing in for me in RTC's proposal.

"At some point, RTC in the person of McShane accepted in principle that
they could concede certain limited use by the public of the OTs and NOTS.
I was under just as severe a pressure from the court as the RTC was, so
I went along and accepted many more limitations to my original proposal
than I would ever have been happy with. Every time I went along with yet
another limitation, Magnusson put forward yet another reservation. At the
end, when I exploded and refused to discuss settlements any more, RTC's
proposal of a settlement agreement stood as follows: Panoussis admits
copyright infringement. RTC accepts every use of the material that is
legal. At 13.54 the settlement talks broke down definitely and the normal
hearing of the case was resumed.

"The court, that deems more time is necessary for the composition of the
ruling, decides - changing its earlier decision - that the ruling will be
given by being made available at the office of the section on Monday 29
June 1998 at 13.30 hours."